Once Upon a Tartan

In this charming sequel to 2012’s The Bridegroom Wore Plaid, Burrowes returns to the Victorian-era Scottish highlands for another cross-border romance. Tiberius Flynn, Earl of Spathfoy and heir to the Marquis of Quinworth, has been sent to Scotland to quietly retrieve his young niece, Fiona, from the MacGregor clan and bring her to live in England. Complications ensue when he finds himself reluctantly drawn in by both the delightful girl and her stepfather’s sister, Miss Hester Daniels. Soon he’s caught between competing interests and his own overwhelming sense of duty. Seeking refuge with her brother’s new family after jilting an unscrupulous nobleman in London, Hester believes the unexpectedly kind Tye is the perfect candidate for a harmless dalliance. While she means only to restore her confidence and move on, Tye refuses to accept an unhappy ending. Burrowes excels at intimate banter and seductive love scenes, and elevates her story with refreshing twists. Expert prose, likeable characters, realistic relationships, and believable complications create a pleasant and satisfying keeper. Agent: Steve Axelrod, Axelrod Literary Agency. (Aug.)